The Best Private Islands Available to Charter

After a 10 year development, Banwa opened its shores in early 2019. Available only for exclusive use, the six-hectare island can host your nearest and dearest in a mixture of contemporary beachfront villas and garden residences, complete with private infinity pools and hot tub decks. Tailored service is the order of the day – from private Pilates to personalised meals using produce grown on the island’s own organic farm – but it’s Banwa’s natural beauty that makes it stand out.

Sitting within the marine protected area of Palawan archipelago, which is famed for its pristine habitats, the island’s perfect white sand beaches offer sea views across distant verdant mountains. Divers, swimmers and snorkelers will also be delighted with sightings of local wildlife including hawksbill turtles and black tip reef sharks, plus rare birds, such as the white collared kingfisher, may be spotted flying overhead.

Buyout price: Starting from $50,000 per night, up to 22 guests can make Banwa their own private paradise.

How to get there: Fly by private jet from Manila to either San Vicente or Puerto Princesa and then enjoy a short helicopter hop to the island.

If you want to go one better than Leonardo DiCaprio, Pippa Middleton and President Barack Obama then take over the whole of this world-famous paradisiacal retreat for 60 of your closest family or pals (you might suddenly find you have more friends than you think). The best part is that you can lounge guilt-free by your sparkling pool overlooking the spectacular lagoon, because the resort prides itself on being the most environmentally friendly in the world (the air-conditioning is created by a pioneering deep seawater system, solar heating provides all hot water and the resort is fully biofuel capable). Set in the Tetiaroa Atoll, once a favoured holiday retreat for Tahitian royalty, the resort was the passion project of the late Marlon Brando, who discovered the islands in 1960 while filming Mutiny on the Bounty.

Bikes are the best way to navigate your way through its palm-tree-lined sandy tracks and days can slip by paddleboarding to one of the neighbouring motus (small islands) or kayaking above the rainbow-coloured coral gardens. Adding a touch of French flair, the island’s restaurants are overseen by Guy Martin, the chef behind two-Michelin-starred Le Grand Véfour in Paris. The Brando’s fine-dining Les Mutinés restaurant – which is surrounded by a moat and shaped to resemble the upturned hull of a boat – features Martin’s classic dishes with an emphasis on local ingredients such as papaya and reef fish. And, in case you get peckish on your tipsy cycle back to your villa, you leave armed with a patisserie gift.

Buyout Price: Rates start from €79,200 per night to takeover the 30 one bedroom villas, for a minimum stay of three nights.

How to get there: Just a 20 minute flight will bring you from Faa’a International Airport in Papeete, Tahiti to Tetiaroa.

Set off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea lies Royal Belize, a beautiful and tiny island getaway only available to one party at a time. Up to 16 adults can lap up the stunning surroundings while shading themselves from the blazing sunshine beneath lofty palm trees. Get your wellness fix with a yoga class, or venture out onto the ocean atop a kayak, catamaran, paddle board or water skis. Royal Belize is also a five star PADI diving resort, where underwater explorers can enjoy trips to the second largest barrier reef in the world and the famous diving site of the Belize Blue Hole.

Buyout price: Prices start from $10,000 per night for an all-inclusive exclusive island rental for 10 travellers. For groups over 10, an additional $150 per person per night is added to the rate.

How to get there: Guests can arrive from Dangriga by 25-minute boat ride or by private helicopter from Belize International airport.